


Launch Configuration

by Bluespirit



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: First Time, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-01-04
Updated: 2007-01-04
Packaged: 2017-12-06 21:09:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 742
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/740189
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bluespirit/pseuds/Bluespirit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>John has an epiphany... well, fuck!</p>
            </blockquote>





	Launch Configuration

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: The following story is a work of fiction. The characters and universe are the property of Stargate (II) Productions, Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, Gekko Productions and the Sci-Fi Channel. This fic is meant solely for entertainment purposes and no copyright infringement is intended.
> 
> Spoilers: Very minor for 'The Game'  
> Notes:  
> 1\. This is different from my usual more romantic writing style & was something of an experiment in structure (hey, don't run away! *g*)  
> 2\. Thanks to my dear, dear betas [](http://lantean-drift.livejournal.com/profile)[**lantean_drift**](http://lantean-drift.livejournal.com/) & [](http://xanthe.livejournal.com/profile)[](http://xanthe.livejournal.com/)**xanthe** for their advice  & support.  
> 3\. NASA launch protocols & countdown info researched at [](http://www.nasa.gov/home/index.html)NASA website.

T minus zero

"Well, it's about damn time, Colonel!" And then Rodney's amused exasperation is pressing against John's lips….

~*~

T minus 24:00:00 hours AMT (Atlantis Mean Time) and counting

"Well, _fuck_!" John sits straight up in bed, eyes fever bright with revelation.

He's in love with Rodney McKay.

"Oh, fuuuuck." He collapses back onto the pillows and sighs in defeat.

 

T minus 23:59:00 hours and counting

John tries to think. He lies staring at the ceiling, thoughts swirling furiously. Sometimes he paces the room, but the four walls - no matter how supposedly tranquil (read 'boring') the Ancient colour scheme - are of no help, either.

It's no good, whichever way he tries to think it through - and boy, does he try - this middle of the night epiphany just keeps hitting him full in the face (and some place lower - and a hell of a lot more pleasurable - but he's desperately trying to ignore _that_!) The fights, the banter, the saving each others' lives on a regular basis (still with the fighting and bantering, of course), all those hours hanging out playing The Game, all those hours still hanging out now that Elizabeth won't let them play The Game anymore, the jumper rides, the looks, the lack of personal space - when you added it all up…. Oh god, it's true.

He's in love with Rodney McKay.

Fuck.

 

T minus 19:59:00 hours and counting

A punishing two hour run out to the East pier, including _all_ the stairs - no transporters - later and yep, still getting the same answer.

Fuck!

 

T minus 17:32:00 hours and counting

A quick shower and then John's standing in line in the breakfast queue, automatically grabbing the last of the chocolate muffins for Rodney or he knows there'll be hell to pay and… oh boy, he is _so_ whipped.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

 

T minus 17:42:00 hours and counting

John watches as Rodney inhales the muffin, eyes shining with a virtual chocolategasm, still geeking out over the latest improvements to the sensor array. It's just plain wrong for that to look sexy but John feels his pants get tight anyway.

Yeah, well… fuck.

 

T minus 15:01:00 hours and counting

An hour of stick practice with Teyla and John's still in love with Rodney McKay but now he's in love, just with a whole lot more bruises.

Figures.

Fuck.

 

T minus 13:30:22 and holding

Further epiphany-related strategising - because Lt. Colonels do not _panic_ over falling in love with their best friends - is postponed due to a near catastrophic overload with some Ancient power source-device-whatever in one of the disused parts of the city. McKay, of course, saves the day, with some help from John and the judicious application of a little C4, and everyone breathes a collective sigh of relief and goes back to whatever they were doing. Everyone except for John, who's had to watch as Rodney got trapped behind a force field - on the same side as the nearly exploding whatever - and he'd thought that this time really was it. But he's Lt. Colonel John Sheppard, owner of one brand spanking new epiphany and no way is he going to let the source of that die, god damn it! So he'd blown some shit up, got his geek to safety and then McKay had managed to shut down the device, all the time cursing John soundly for risking high explosives around Ancient technology - and _him_. John had smirked, raised an eyebrow and felt his heart do something kind of weird when McKay had finally shaken his head and softly called him an idiot.

Yeah, he's definitely in love with Rodney McKay.

Fuck! That's so cool!

 

T minus 00:01:00 hours and counting

So now John's standing awkwardly in McKay's quarters, trying to explain how he feels without, you know, actually _explaining_ how he _feels_. He's mumbled through the part about how they hang out together and how that's 'nice' (he thinks there was some cringing then but he's not sure from who) and now he can hear himself muttering something about chocolate muffins and he may have used the phrase 'middle of the night epiphany' at some point too. He rubs the toe of his boot against the carpet….

 

T minus zero

"Well, it's about damn time, Colonel!" And then Rodney's amused exasperation is pressing against John's lips and….

Oh, fuck, yes!

Lift off.

 

The end


End file.
